I used to be the most loyal customer of Boots in the entire world. I was an absolute Boots wifey, and the very thought of going to Superdrug made my lip curl in disdain. Why would I go to Superdrug when I can collect millions of points on my Boots card? Why would I go to Superdrug when Boots have such a superb Meal Deal?  Why would I go to Superdrug when at Boots I can be served by people wearing those funny tunics that make me feel like I’m some sort of beauty professional?

Well, ladies and gents, I am quite the changed woman these days and I regularly cheat on Boots by going into Superdrug too – sometimes I even go to them both in the same day, which just makes me a proper shopping sket. There is one brand in particular to be blamed for my infidelity: the Superdrug-exclusive MUA.

MUA has only really been on my radar for around a year and at first I dismissed the brand as simply too cheap to be any good. Then Lauren raved about their £1 lipsticks, and I discovered for myself the wonder that is the Undress Me Too palette, and then it was safe to say MUA had creeped its way up my favourite brands list.

I picked up both of these items in the last couple of weeks and both amazingly cost me just £1. There isn’t a huge amount to say about the powder – is there ever? It’s translucent and stops people being able to check their reflection in my nose, which is all I can ask for really. The range of blushers is much more interesting. According to the Superdrug website, there are six shades available in the £1 range (you can see them all here): Bon Bon, Cupcake, Lolly, Marshmallow, Candyfloss and Bubblegum. Completely sickening names aside, the colour range is nice, ranging from pale peach through to bright purpley-pink.

The shade that I picked up was Candyfloss, a rather cool-toned pastel dusky pink:

(On a side note, am I the only one quite impressed that they bother with the MUA imprint inside the compact? If I was selling something for only a quid I’d probably just put the powder loose in a little sandwich bag and throw it at customers.)

It’s a really nice colour which seems pretty perfect for winter, and is also a nice match on my new pasty, corpse-like pale skin. My only real bug bear is the flecks of glitter running through it – how hard is it for brands just to make matte blushers, I ask you? Pigmentation wise, though, it’s really impressive. A little goes a long way, to the extent that when I put a bit on without using a mirror while sitting at my desk at work the other day, it wasn’t until I went into the toilet that I realised I had accidentally made myself look like a clown (thanks for the heads up Lauren, you twit).

Overall I’m really pleased with these cheap and cheerful MUA products. The packaging is simple, but all that’s needed – and perfect considering these are the types of products you’re likely to carry around in your handbag anyway so don’t want to worry about having to keep pretty. I’m particularly impressed with the blusher, and think I’ll definitely be ‘investing’ (giggle, giggle – no really, I’m skint, that pound will be an investment) in another couple of shades for my makeup bag.

What do you all think of MUA? Have you tried either of these products?